July 18, 2005

Boycott Blue

It isn't every day that Moonbattery can recommend a leftist website, but BuyBlue.org is a useful resource for anyone who feels that every time you buy something, you are voting with your wallet.

To quote the site:

BuyBlue.org is a concerted effort to lift the veil of corporate patronage, so consumers can make informed buying decisions that coincide with their principles.

Corporations are rated based on the political contributions of their top three executives, and donations from associated political action committees. Contributions of rank and file employees are not counted.

Here are some companies to avoid. These are the bluest of the blue, earning a 100% rating by giving solely to Democrats:

AFC Enterprises, Inc

Aloha Air Group, Inc.

American Apparel, LLC

Bally Total Fitness Holding Corporation

Barnes & Noble, Inc.

Benihana Inc

Black & Decker Corporation

Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation

Caribou Coffee Company Inc.

Charming Shoppes, Inc

Choice Hotels International, Inc.

Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc.

Diamond Resorts International

Foot Locker, Inc

Frederick's of Hollywood, Inc.

Google Inc.

Hawaiian Holdings, Inc.

IAC/InterActiveCorp

J. Crew Group, Inc

Jamba Juice Company

Jo-Ann Stores, Inc

Levi Strauss & Co.

Linens 'n Things, Inc

Loews Hotels Holding Corporation

Luxottica Group S.p.A.

Myriad Restaurant Group, Inc.

Panera Bread Company

Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation

Powell's Books, Inc.

Progressive Corporation

Recreational Equipment, Inc.

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc

Skechers U.S.A., Inc

Sonic Corp.

SPS Studios, Inc.

Starbucks Corporation

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Tom's of Maine

Working Assets Funding Service, Inc

Surprised Apple Computer didn't make the list? Their rating is 99%.

Readers are encouraged to patronize these pure red companies, proud recipients of a 0% rating earned by supporting only Republicans:

Aware that conservatives could use their site just as easily as liberals, the BuyBlue people warn that in the future, their ratings will incorporate not only political contributions, but also corporate policies, so that by buying red, you will run the risk of supporting a company that indulges in ethnocentrism, environmental insensitivity, heteronormative unimaginativeness, uncouth jingoism, etc. Caveat emptor.

Comments

Dammit, I go to Lowe's every day. And Best Buy is home away from home. Guess I'll have to keep funneling you guys a little loot, some sacrifices I just can't make. At least I can balance it out with Starbucks and Barnes and Noble. Cool post Van.

All right! California Pizza Kitchen made the red list! I'm not suprised at all by some of the Blue list, but most of the Red companies surprise me. I think I'll have a celebratory In-n-Out burger today, Animal style...

Margaret Cho
[My new dog] Gudrun is named after the infamous Gudrun Ensslin who was the female leader of the Baader-Meinhof Gang, an art terrorist group from the 70s. Terrorism was different then. It had a chicness to it...

The [Red Army Faction, self-styled name of the Baader-Meinhof Gang,] is believed responsible for killing from 30 to 50 people, including high-ranking German politicians, business executives and U.S. military personnel.

Another reminder of how the moonbats really feel about terrorism and mass murder. Sort of like a Che T-shirt.

What a valuable resource, VH! I'm very glad that Michael's craft store chain rates so surprisingly well (er-RED). Chick-fil-A got 1% but definitely deserves top mention, as they are a solidly pro-Christian, pro-Kid enterprise. (Closed on Sundays!)

The company I work for -- thank God -- didn't make any ranking that I could find... not enough in the mainstream of consumerism, I guess. But I can tell you where it'd fall %-wise: near the top of blueness. (Something for which I am not proud.)

Petroleos de Venezuela currently has a 0% BuyBlue rating due to political contributions for the 2003-2004 election cycle. Petroleos de Venezuela executives are mostly foreign and therefore cannot contribute but there were a few US employees that made some small contributions to Republican politicians. Petroleos de Venezuela does not have a political action committee.

With this narrow-minded rating, they're totally missing a chance to promote a corporation that is based in a country that has a neo-communist government ruled by a virtual dictator that hates the US, loves Castro, and wants Condi Rice to beg him for sex. (Or something like that, if I recall.)

I note that Caribou Coffee is on the "blue" list. Guess who sits on the board of the company that owns most of Caribou Coffee? One Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Red Ken's suicide-bomber loving, gay-hating buddy. I wonder if the Democrats would like Qaradawi's views on gays and his connections to their donor, Caribou Coffee, to be aired by the MSM?